Happy Birthday Tim Tams, you’re nearly as old as Barbie. But while the leggy doll is celebrating her 55th in a bikini on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimwear, Tim Tam’s doing the family thing.

DDB Group Sydney’s Tim Tam 50th Anniversary campaign focuses on the bikky’s longstanding reputation for bringing people together.

“The humble Tim Tam inspires love beyond reason in Australians and has done for 50 years now. What has elevated it to ‘icon status’ is difficult to articulate but we know that in the hearts of Aussies; it’s more than just a chocolate biscuit. It’s definitely the unique and irresistible Tim Tam layers that set us apart. We think it’s also about the connections made when you open a pack and share with friends or family. Whatever it is, together with our fans – we’ll be celebrating 50 extraordinary years throughout 2014 and we look forward to sharing it via this integrated campaign,” Susanna Polycarpou, brand director, Arnott’s, remarked.

At the launch on February 16, Arnott’s Tim Tam and Qantas reunited family and friends from the small outback town of Winton in Central Western Queensland. Family members who had spread their wings across Australia, and as far away as the UK, were flown in to the remote town on a Tim Tam branded Qantas charter plane so they could reconnect over tea and Tim Tams.

The moments of reunion will form the basis for the next TVC, which will only star family members from the Winton community. Online and print executions will complement the TVC from March 10th.

Jen Speirs, creative director, DDB Sydney acknowledged, “Since launching our more socially-connected campaigns for Tim Tam, Australian’s have really grown to love them. We knew that when it came to the 50th Anniversary – we had to go bigger, better and more surprising than ever.”

Arnott’s is also launching a “50 flights in 50 days” on-pack promotion in which Australians will have the chance to win a Qantas flight to reconnect with friends and family across Australia.

Creative credits:

DDB:

Executive creative director: Dylan Harrison

Creative director: Jen Speirs

Art director: Nadia Ahmad

Copywriter: Julia Spencer

TV production:

Head of onscreen production: Brenden Johnson

Senior editor: Mark Perry

Production coordinator: Rebecca Whitehead

PR & experiential: Mango

Production company: Sergeant Major

Media: MEC